Children with severe sepsis: relationship between community level income and morbidity and mortality.

BACKGROUND: Health disparities surrounding pediatric severe sepsis outcomes remains unclear. We aimed to measure the relationship between indicators of socioeconomic status and mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), and readmission rates among children hospitalized with severe sepsis. METHODS: Children 0-18 years old, hospitalized with severe sepsis in the Nationwide Readmissions Database (2016-2018) were included. The primary exposure was median household income by ZIP Code of residence, divided into quartiles. RESULTS: We identified 15,214 index pediatric severe sepsis hospitalizations. There was no difference in hospital mortality rate or readmission rate across income quartiles. Among survivors, patients in Q1 (lowest income) had a 2 day longer LOS compared to those in Q4 (Median 10 days [IQR 4-21] vs 8 days [IQR 4-18]; p < 0.0001). However, there was no difference after adjusting for multiple covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Children living in Q1 had a 2 day longer LOS versus their peers in Q4. This was not significant on multivariable analysis, suggesting income quartile is not driving this difference. As pediatric severe sepsis remains an important source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill children, more sensitive metrics of socioeconomic status may better elucidate any disparities. IMPACT: Children with severe sepsis living in the lowest income ZIP Codes may have longer hospital stays compared to peers in higher income communities. More precise metrics of socioeconomic status are needed to better understand health disparities in pediatric severe sepsis.

Tracheostomy Practices and Outcomes in Children During Respiratory Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

OBJECTIVES: Children receiving prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support may benefit from tracheostomy during ECMO by facilitating rehabilitation; however, the procedure carries risks, especially hemorrhagic complications. Knowledge of tracheostomy practices and outcomes of ECMO-supported children who undergo tracheostomy on ECMO may inform decision-making. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: ECMO centers contributing to the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization registry. PATIENTS: Children from birth to 18 years who received ECMO support for greater than or equal to 7 days for respiratory failure from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2019. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Three thousand six hundred eighty-five children received at least 7 days of ECMO support for respiratory failure. The median duration of ECMO support was 13.0 days (interquartile range [IQR], 9.3-19.9 d), and inhospital mortality was 38.7% (1,426/3,685). A tracheostomy was placed during ECMO support in 94/3,685 (2.6%). Of those who received a tracheostomy on ECMO, the procedure was performed at a median 13.2 days (IQR, 6.3-25.9 d) after initiation of ECMO. Surgical site bleeding was documented in 26% of children who received a tracheostomy (12% after tracheostomy placement). Among children who received a tracheostomy, the median duration of ECMO support was 24.2 days (IQR, 13.0-58.7 d); inhospital mortality was 30/94 (32%). Those that received a tracheostomy before 14 days on ECMO were older (median age, 15.8 yr [IQR, 4.7-15.5] vs 11.7 yr [IQR, 11.5-17.3 yr]; p =0.002) and more likely to have been supported on venovenous-ECMO (84% vs 52%; p = 0.001). Twenty-two percent (11/50) of those who received a tracheostomy before 14 days died in the hospital, compared with 19/44 (43%) of those who received a tracheostomy at 14 days or later (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Tracheostomies during ECMO were uncommon in children. One in four patients who received a tracheostomy on ECMO had surgical site bleeding. Children who had tracheostomies placed after 14 days were younger and had worse outcomes, potentially representing tracheostomy as a "secondary" strategy for prolonged ECMO support.

Racial differences in prediabetes prevalence by test type for the US pediatric and adult population: NHANES 1999-2016.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that US estimates of prediabetes or diabetes differ depending on test type, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) vs hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Given age, race, and test differences reported in the literature, we sought to further examine these differences in prediabetes detection using a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2016, individuals were identified as having prediabetes with an HbA1c of 5.7% to 6.4% or a FPG of 100 to 125 mg/dL. We excluded individuals with measurements in the diabetic range. We ran generalized estimating equation logistic regressions to examine the relationship between age, race, and test type with interactions, controlling for sex and body mass index. We compared the difference in predicted prediabetes prevalence detected by impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) vs HbA1c by race/ethnicity among children and adults separately using adjusted Wald tests. RESULTS: The absolute difference in predicted prediabetes detected by IFG vs HbA1c was 19.9% for white adolescents, 0% for black adolescents, and 20.1% for Hispanic adolescents; 21.4% for white adults, -1.2% for black adults, and 19.2% for Hispanic adults. Using adjusted Wald tests, we found the absolute differences between black vs white and black vs Hispanic individuals to be significant, but, not between Hispanic and white individuals among children and adults separately. CONCLUSIONS: These observations highlight differences in test performance among racial/ethnic groups. Our findings corroborate the need for further studies to determine appropriate HbA1c cutoff levels for diagnosis of prediabetes by age group and race.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Vaccination for Prevention of Herpes Zoster and Related Complications: Input for National Recommendations.

Background: The U.S. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recently developed recommendations for use of a new recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV). Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of vaccination with RZV compared with zoster vaccine live (ZVL) and no vaccination, the cost-effectiveness of vaccination with RZV for persons who have previously received ZVL, and the cost-effectiveness of preferential vaccination with RZV over ZVL. Design: Simulation (state-transition) model using U.S. epidemiologic, clinical, and cost data. Data Sources: Published data. Target Population: Hypothetical cohort of immunocompetent U.S. adults aged 50 years or older. Time Horizon: Lifetime. Perspective: Societal and health care sector. Intervention: Vaccination with RZV (recommended 2-dose regimen), vaccination with ZVL, and no vaccination. Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results of Base-Case Analysis: For vaccination with RZV compared with no vaccination, ICERs ranged by age from $10 000 to $47 000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), using a societal perspective and assuming 100% completion of the 2-dose RZV regimen. For persons aged 60 years or older, ICERs were less than $60 000 per QALY. Vaccination with ZVL was dominated by vaccination with RZV for all age groups 60 years or older. Results of Sensitivity Analysis: Results were most sensitive to changes in vaccine effectiveness, duration of protection, herpes zoster incidence, and probability of postherpetic neuralgia. Vaccination with RZV after previous administration of ZVL yielded an ICER of less than $60 000 per QALY for persons aged 60 years or older. In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, RZV remained the preferred strategy in at least 95% of simulations, including those with 50% completion of the second dose. Limitation: Few data were available on risk for serious adverse events, adherence to the recommended 2-dose regimen, and probability of recurrent zoster. Conclusion: Vaccination with RZV yields cost-effectiveness ratios lower than those for many recommended adult vaccines, including ZVL. Results are robust over a wide range of plausible values. Primary Funding Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

An Assessment of Public Preferences for Newborn Screening Using Best-Worst Scaling.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify public preferences for attributes of newborn screening conditions. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted an online national survey of the public (n = 502) to evaluate preferences for attributes of candidate newborn screening conditions. Respondents were presented with hypothetical condition profiles that were defined using 10 attributes with 2-6 levels per attribute. Participants indicated whether they would recommend screening for a condition and which condition attributes were most and least important when making this decision (best-worst scaling). Difference scores were calculated and stratified by condition recommendation (recommend or not recommend for screening). Regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of attributes on choice to screen or not screen. RESULTS: The number of babies diagnosed was important to those who would recommend newborn screening for a profile, and age at which the treatment would start was important to those who would not recommend newborn screening. Cost was considered to be a key attribute, and treatment effectiveness and impact of making the diagnosis through newborn screening were of low importance for both groups. CONCLUSION: Public preferences identified through survey methods that provide an adequate baseline understanding of newborn screening can be used to inform newborn screening decisions.

Insurance Among Young Adults With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Changes Under the Affordable Care Act Dependent Provision.

BACKGROUND: A total of 20% to 30% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) present before age 18 years, eventually requiring transfer to adult care. Vulnerability during transfer may be exacerbated by loss of insurance. A provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) allows young adults (YAs) to remain on parental private insurance through age 25 years. There has been a decrease in uninsured YAs since its implementation in 2010. Little is known about whether insurance coverage of YAs with IBD has been affected. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine whether the proportion of uninsured YAs with IBD has changed following the implementation of extended dependent eligibility under the ACA. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of hospitalized patients with IBD, identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) using diagnostic codes, to estimate proportions of insurance coverage during the years 2006-2013. We compared 19 to 25 year olds to 2 to 18 and 26 to 35 year olds, unaffected by the provision, to account for underlying trends. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2010, 19 to 25 year olds had the highest proportion of uninsured, peaking at 14.1% in 2010. In 2011, the proportion decreased to 10.1%, below the proportion of uninsured 26 to 35 year olds (13.1%), remaining in this range through 2013. Private coverage increased in 2011 for 19 to 25 year olds, remaining stable for 26 to 35 year olds. DISCUSSION: Previous research cited 5% uninsured among all hospitalized patients with IBD. Our study indicates a higher proportion for YAs, decreasing after the ACA. Lack of insurance increases vulnerability during transfer but may be modifiable through policy change. Furthermore, research should analyze the effects of Medicaid expansion and health care exchanges.

A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Population-Level Dental Caries Prevention Strategies in US Children.

OBJECTIVE: To improve oral health disparities and outcomes among US children impacted by dental caries, there is a need to understand the cost-effectiveness of a targeted, risk-based versus universal-based approach for caries prevention. METHODS: Health and economic outcomes were simulated in a cohort of 50,000 US children aged 1-18 years, comparing current practice (CP) to risk-based-prevention (RBP) and prevention-for-all (PFA) strategies using health care sector and limited societal perspectives. Prevention included biannual oral health exams and fluoride varnish application, and one-time dental sealant placement. The primary outcome is the cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), defined as the additional cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained when comparing each strategy to the next least costly one. RESULTS: For RBP compared to CP, the ICER was US$83,000/QALY from the health care sector perspective; for PFA compared to RBP the ICER was US$154,000/QALY. Using a limited societal perspective that includes caregiver time spent attending dental or medical setting visits, RBP compared to CP yielded a ratio of $119,000/QALY and PFA compared to RBP was $235,000/QALY. Results were most sensitive to changes in the probability of pain from an episode of dental caries, costs for prevention and restoration, and the loss in health-related quality of life due to dental caries pain. Scenario analyses evaluating a reduced intensity of prevention services yielded lower ICERs. CONCLUSION: Using a risk-based approach that identifies and targets children at increased risk for dental caries to guide the delivery of prevention services represents an economic value similar to other pediatric prevention programs.

Preferences in Clinical Care of Individuals With Differences of Sex Development.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the most important attributes related to the process of achieving, and outcomes associated with, successful care for differences of sex development (DSD). METHODS: We developed a best-worst scaling survey administered to 520 DSD stakeholders, including individuals or family members of those with DSD, health care specialists, and patient support and advocacy representatives. Fourteen process-related attributes and 16 outcome-related attributes were identified through qualitative research. We estimated relative importance scores and coefficients from regression analysis to understand the relative importance of attributes and conducted latent class analysis to explore heterogeneity in preferences. RESULTS: The 3 most important process attributes were (1) good communication between care team and patient/family, (2) care team educated patient/family about condition, and (3) care team incorporates the values of patient/family. The 3 most important outcome attributes were (1) patient satisfaction, (2) patient mental health, and (3) treatment maintains physical health. Latent class analyses showed that respondents had heterogeneous preferences. For process-related attributes, we identified 3 respondent groups: "Patient autonomy and support" (46% of respondents), "Education and care transitions" (18%), and "Shared decision-making" (36%). For outcome-related attributes, we identified 2 respondent groups: "Preserving function and appearance" (59% of respondents) and "Patient health and satisfaction" (41%). CONCLUSIONS: Outcomes such as patient satisfaction and health were the most important outcome attributes, and good communication and education from the care team were the most important process attributes. Respondents expressed heterogeneous preferences for selected DSD care attributes that providers should consider to improve satisfaction with and quality of DSD care.

Parental knowledge and behaviors related to prevention and early detection of eye problems in US children.

We documented parental knowledge and actions around children's eye health using a cross-sectional, nationally representative survey of parents of children 3-18 years of age. Parents more frequently reported their child's vision was tested at a primary care visit than school, and many were unsure whether their child received school vision testing. One in 10 children with a possible eye problem had not seen an eye doctor in the previous 2 years. Many parents do not have their child wear eye protection during high-risk activities.

Biliblanket Utilization for Outpatient Treatment of Newborn Jaundice.

Hyperbilirubinemia is a common neonatal diagnosis. Biliblankets have the potential to reduce readmission for hyperbilirubinemia. The study purpose was to characterize home biliblanket treatment for hyperbilirubinemia using retrospective medical record review of newborns with total serum bilirubin of 0.1 to 3 mg/dL below inpatient threshold seen at 9 pediatric clinics (N = 359). The main outcomes were whether a biliblanket was used and whether the usage impacted readmissions. Home biliblankets were used for 44% of newborns. Nine percent of newborns were readmitted for hyperbilirubinemia. Four percent of newborns treated with a biliblanket were readmitted compared with 13% of those not treated with a biliblanket (P = .002). Newborns treated with a biliblanket (odds ratio [OR] = 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06-0.44) and newborns 3 days or older (OR = 0.16; 95% CI = 0.06-0.43) were less likely to be readmitted than newborns not treated with a biliblanket and 2-day-old newborns. We found that home biliblanket use was associated with lower odds of hospital readmission for newborn jaundice.

Cost-effectiveness of routine annual influenza vaccination by age and risk status.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of circulating seasonal influenza strains changed following the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1). A universal influenza vaccination recommendation has been implemented and new vaccine types have become available post-2009. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of routine annual influenza vaccination in the context of this new evidence. METHODS: A state transition simulation model was constructed to estimate the health and economic outcomes of influenza vaccination compared to no vaccination for hypothetical US cohorts stratified by age and risk status. Model input parameters were derived from multiple sources, including post-2009 vaccine effectiveness data from the US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness Network. The analysis used societal and healthcare sector perspectives and a one-year time horizon, except permanent outcomes were also included. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in dollars per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. RESULTS: Compared to no vaccination, vaccination yielded ICERs lower than $95,000/QALY for all age and risk groups, except for non-high-risk adults 18-49 years ($194,000/QALY). Vaccination was cost-saving for adults ≥50 years at higher risk for influenza-related complications. Results were most sensitive to changes in the probability of influenza illness. Performing the analysis from the healthcare sector perspective, excluding vaccination time costs, delivering vaccinations in lower-cost settings, and including productivity losses improved the cost-effectiveness of vaccination. Sensitivity analysis revealed that vaccination remains below $100,000/QALY for older persons ≥65 years at vaccine effectiveness estimates as low as 4 %. CONCLUSIONS: Cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination varied by age and risk status and was less than $95,000/QALY for all subgroups, except for non-high-risk working-age adults. Results were sensitive to the probability of influenza illness and vaccination was more favorable under certain scenarios. Vaccination for higher risk subgroups resulted in ICERs below $100,000/QALY even at low levels of vaccine effectiveness or circulating virus.

Prospective Test Performance of Nonfasting Biomarkers to Identify Dysglycemia in Children and Adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Test performance screening measures for dysglycemia have not been evaluated prospectively in youth. This study evaluated the prospective test performance of random glucose (RG), 1-h nonfasting glucose challenge test (1-h GCT), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fructosamine (FA), and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) for identifying dysglycemia. METHODS: Youth ages 8-17 years with overweight or obesity (body mass index, BMI, ≥85th percentile) without known diabetes completed nonfasting tests at baseline (n = 176) and returned an average of 1.1 years later for two formal fasting 2-h oral glucose tolerance tests. Outcomes included glucose-defined dysglycemia (fasting plasma glucose ≥100 mg/dL or 2-h plasma glucose ≥140 mg/dL) or elevated HbA1c (≥5.7%). Longitudinal test performance was evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculation of area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: Glucose-defined dysglycemia, elevated HbA1c, and either dysglycemia or elevated HbA1c were present in 15 (8.5%), 11 (6.3%), and 23 (13.1%) participants at baseline, and 16 (9.1%), 18 (10.3%), and 28 (15.9%) participants at follow-up. For prediction of glucose-defined dysglycemia at follow-up, RG, 1-h GCT, and HbA1c had similar performance (0.68 (95% CI: 0.55-0.80), 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64-0.89), and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.84)), while FA and 1,5-AG performed poorly. For prediction of HbA1c at follow-up, baseline HbA1c had strong performance (AUC 0.93 [95% CI: 0.88-0.98]), RG had moderate performance (AUC 0.67 [95% CI: 0.54-0.79]), while 1-h GCT, FA, and 1,5-AG performed poorly. CONCLUSION: HbA1c and nonfasting glucose tests had reasonable longitudinal discrimination identifying adolescents at risk for dysglycemia, but performance depended on outcome definition.

Quantification of Mucosal Activity from Colonoscopy Reports via the Simplified Endoscopic Mucosal Assessment for Crohn's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic mucosal healing is the gold standard for evaluating Crohn's disease (CD) treatment efficacy. Standard endoscopic indices are not routinely used in clinical practice, limiting the quality of retrospective research. A method for retrospectively quantifying mucosal activity from documentation is needed. We evaluated the simplified endoscopic mucosal assessment for CD (SEMA-CD) to determine if it can accurately quantify mucosal severity recorded in colonoscopy reports. METHODS: Pediatric patients with CD underwent colonoscopy that was video recorded and evaluated via Simple Endoscopic Score for CD (SES-CD) and SEMA-CD by central readers. Corresponding colonoscopy reports were de-identified. Central readers blinded to clinical history and video scoring were randomly assigned colonoscopy reports with and without images. The SEMA-CD was scored for each report. Correlation with video SES-CD and SEMA-CD were assessed with Spearman rho, inter-rater, and intrarater reliability with kappa statistics. RESULTS: Fifty-seven colonoscopy reports were read a total of 347 times. The simplified endoscopic mucosal assessment for CD without images correlated with both SES-CD and SEMA-CD from videos (rho = 0.82, P < .0001 for each). The addition of images provided similar correlation. Inter-rater and intrarater reliability were 0.93 and 0.92, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The SEMA-CD applied to retrospective evaluation of colonoscopy reports accurately and reproducibly correlates with SES-CD and SEMA-CD of colonoscopy videos. The SEMA-CD for evaluating colonoscopy reports will enable quantifying mucosal healing in retrospective research. Having objective outcome data will enable higher-quality research to be conducted across multicenter collaboratives and in clinical registries. External validation is needed.

New and Progressive Medical Conditions After Pediatric Sepsis Hospitalization Requiring Critical Care.

Importance: Children commonly experience physical, cognitive, or emotional sequelae after sepsis. However, little is known about the development or progression of medical conditions after pediatric sepsis. Objective: To quantify the development and progression of 4 common conditions in the 6 months after sepsis and to assess whether they differed after hospitalization for sepsis vs nonsepsis among critically ill children. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study of 101 511 children (<19 years) with sepsis or nonsepsis hospitalization used a national administrative claims database (January 1, 2010, to June 30, 2018). Data management and analysis were conducted from April 1, 2020, to July 7, 2022. Exposures: Intensive care unit hospitalization for sepsis vs all-cause intensive care unit hospitalizations, excluding sepsis. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were the development of 4 target conditions (chronic respiratory failure, seizure disorder, supplemental nutritional dependence, and chronic kidney disease) within 6 months of hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were the progression of the 4 target conditions among children with the condition before hospitalization. Outcomes were identified via diagnostic and procedural codes, durable medical equipment codes, and prescription medications. Differences in the development and the progression of conditions between pediatric patients with sepsis and pediatric patients with nonsepsis who survived intensive care unit hospitalization were assessed using logistic regression with matching weights. Results: A total of 5150 survivors of pediatric sepsis and 96 361 survivors of nonsepsis intensive care unit hospitalizations were identified; 2593 (50.3%) were female. The median age was 9.5 years (IQR, 3-15 years) in the sepsis cohort and 7 years (IQR, 2-13 years) in the nonsepsis cohort. Of the 5150 sepsis survivors, 670 (13.0%) developed a new target condition, and 385 of 1834 (21.0%) with a preexisting target condition had disease progression. A total of 998 of the 5150 survivors (19.4%) had development and/or progression of at least 1 condition. New conditions were more common among sepsis vs nonsepsis hospitalizations (new chronic respiratory failure: 4.6% vs 1.9%; odds ratio [OR], 2.54 [95% CI, 2.19-2.94]; new supplemental nutritional dependence: 7.9% vs 2.7%; OR, 3.17 [95% CI, 2.80-3.59]; and new chronic kidney disease: 1.1% vs 0.6%; OR, 1.65 [95% CI, 1.25-2.19]). New seizure disorder was less common (4.6% vs 6.0%; OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.66-0.89]). Progressive supplemental nutritional dependence was more common (1.5% vs 0.5%; OR, 2.95 [95% CI, 1.60-5.42]), progressive epilepsy was less common (33.7% vs 40.6%; OR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.65-0.86]), and progressive respiratory failure (4.4% vs 3.3%; OR, 1.35 [95% CI, 0.89-2.04]) and progressive chronic kidney disease (7.9% vs 9.2%; OR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.18-3.91]) were similar among survivors of sepsis vs nonsepsis admitted to an intensive care unit. Conclusions and Relevance: In this national cohort of critically ill children who survived sepsis, 1 in 5 developed or had progression of a condition of interest after sepsis hospitalization, suggesting survivors of pediatric sepsis may benefit from structured follow-up to identify and treat new or worsening medical comorbid conditions.

Parent Views on School-Based Depression Screening: Findings From a National Survey.

PURPOSE: This study explored parent views on school involvement in screening and identification of adolescent depression. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional Internet-based survey with the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Of 2,004 parents (63.4% response rate), 770 had a middle/high school student and were eligible for this module. Poststratification weights were generated by survey vendor Ipsos. Descriptive and bivariate results were calculated; multinomial logistic regression models controlled for parent sex, race/ethnicity, education, employment status, and school level. RESULTS: Parent respondents were 54.8% female, 57.5% white, 64.3% above a high school education, and 79.7% employed; 76.2% were answering based on a high school student. Most parents supported school-based depression screens starting in sixth (46.7%) or seventh (15.1%) grades, although 15.9% responded no screening should be done. Among parent respondents, 93.2% wished to be informed of a positive screen. Regression analysis found parents of middle school students were 4.18 times more likely to prefer sixth versus 9th to 12th grade to start screening. CONCLUSIONS: Most parents support middle school depression screening but overwhelmingly wished to be informed of a positive result. Guidelines for maintaining adolescent confidentiality in a school-based depression screening program will require careful consideration.

Development and Testing of a New Simplified Endoscopic Mucosal Assessment for Crohn's Disease: The SEMA-CD.

OBJECTIVES: Endoscopic mucosal improvement is the gold standard for assessing treatment efficacy in clinical trials of Crohn's disease. Current endoscopic indices are not routinely used in clinical practice. The lack of endoscopic information in large clinical registries limits their use for research. A quick, easy, and accurate method is needed for assessing mucosal improvement for clinicians in real-world practice. We developed and tested a novel simplified endoscopic mucosal assessment for Crohn's disease (SEMA-CD). METHODS: We developed a 5-point scale for ranking endoscopic severity of ileum and colon based on Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease (SES-CD). Central readers were trained to perform SES-CD and SEMA-CD. Pediatric patients with Crohn's disease undergoing colonoscopy were enrolled. Video recordings of colonoscopies were de-identified and randomly assigned to blinded central readers. The SES-CD and SEMA-CD were scored for each video. The SES-CD was considered the validated standard for comparison. Correlation was assessed with Spearman rho, inter- and intrarater reliability with kappa statistics. RESULTS: Fifty-seven colonoscopies were read a total of 212 times. Correlation between SEMA-CD and SES-CD was strong (rho = 0.98, P < 0.0001). Inter-rater reliability for SEMA-CD was 0.80, and intrarater reliability was 0.83. Central readers rated SEMA-CD as easier than SES-CD. CONCLUSION: The SEMA-CD accurately and reproducibly correlates with the standard SES-CD. Central readers viewed SEMA-CD as easier than SES-CD. Use of SEMA-CD in practice should enable collecting mucosal improvement information in large populations of patients. This will improve the quality of research that can be conducted in clinical registries. External validation is needed.

Validation of EpiTRAQ, a transition readiness assessment tool for adolescents and young adults with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: To design and validate a transition readiness assessment tool for adolescents and young adults with epilepsy and without intellectual disability. METHODS: We adapted a general transition readiness assessment tool (TRAQ) to add epilepsy-relevant items based on concepts in current epilepsy quality measures. The adapted tool, EpiTRAQ, maintained the original structure and scoring system. Concurrent with clinical implementation in pediatric and adult epilepsy clinics at an academic medical center, we assessed the validity and reliability of this adapted tool for patients 16-26 years of age. This process included initial validation with 302 patients who completed EpiTRAQ between October 2017 and May 2018; repeat validation with 381 patients who completed EpiTRAQ between June 2018 and September 2019; and retest reliability among 153 patients with more than one completed EpiTRAQ. RESULTS: Mean scores were comparable between initial and repeat validation populations (absolute value differences between 0.05 and 0.1); internal consistency ranged from good to high. For both the initial and repeat validation, mean scores and internal consistency demonstrated high comparability to the original TRAQ validation results. Upon retest, few patients rated themselves with a lower score, while the majority rated themselves with higher scores. SIGNIFICANCE: EpiTRAQ is a valid and reliable tool for assessing transition readiness in adolescents and young adults with epilepsy and without intellectual disability.

An assessment of child passenger safety levels of service in Michigan.

Objective: The purpose of this article was to assess the match between child passenger safety resources (child passenger safety technicians [CPSTs], car seat checks, and child restraint system [CRS] distribution programs) and the child population in Michigan by utilizing geographic information systems approaches and to analyze the impact of Michigan's CPSTs on child passenger safety behaviors on departure from a seat check. Methods: Data were collected from administrative sources and a survey of CPSTs to determine the number and location of child passenger safety resources and children in Michigan. The main analyses used data from 2014. The child population ≤4 years old per county and per traffic safety region was determined from census data. CPST and car seat check locations were determined from a list from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (Mi-OHSP) and a survey of CPSTs who coordinate seat checks. Summary sheets from Mi-OHSP served as the data source for CRSs distributed through their occupant protection program. Data from child passenger safety checklists completed with seat checks were obtained from Safe Kids Michigan. Addresses were geocoded using Google Maps Geocoding API and then mapped at the county level using ArcGIS Desktop 10.3.1. Descriptive statistics were calculated and levels of service were determined at the county and regional levels. Results: In 2014, there were 570,929 children ≤4 years old in Michigan and 979 CPSTs who worked at 209 known seat check locations. An average of 6,854 seats was checked per year through Safe Kids Michigan Coalitions. All but 3 regions met an intermediate service level for seat check locations by offering one or more per 5,000 children ≤4 years old. There was at least one CPST in 80 of 83 counties (median 5; interquartile range, 2, 10.5). Assuming that an average Michigan CPST provides 10 h of service each year, all but 2 regions reached an intermediate service level of at least one technician hour per 90 children ≤4 years old. Fewer regions reached a basic level of service for the number of seat checks. Almost half (49.5%) of Safe Kids Michigan seat checks resulted in a change in child passenger safety behaviors. Conclusions: Child passenger safety resources in Michigan are not evenly distributed yet most regions and counties meet intermediate levels of service. Reallocating resources to areas that are providing basic levels of service could help reduce disparities in child passenger safety behaviors.

Variation in Generational Perceptions of Child Health and Well-being.

OBJECTIVE: To assess adults' perceptions regarding the health and well-being of children today relative to their own health and well-being as youth and the potential for intergenerational differences in those perceptions. METHODS: A cross-sectional, Internet-based survey of a nationally representative household sample was conducted using GfK Custom Research's Web-enabled KnowledgePanel, a probability-based panel representative of the US population. We assessed perceptions of children's health and well-being today compared to when respondents were growing up, including physical and mental health; and children's education, exercise, diet, health care, safety of communities, and emotional support from families, groups, and organizations. RESULTS: Overall, 1330 (65%) of 2047 adult respondents completed the survey. Only 26% of respondents believed that the current physical health of children, and 14% that the current mental health of children, is better today than when they were growing up. There was a significant trend among generations, with a greater proportion of older generations perceiving the physical health of children to be better today. Only 15% of respondents reported the chances for a child to grow up with good mental health in the future are "better" now than when they were growing up. CONCLUSIONS: Adults across all generations in the United States today view children's health as unlikely to meet the goals of the American Dream of continuous improvement. Although demographic changes require continued focus on our aging population, we must equally recognize the importance of advancing a healthy future for our nation's children, who will assume the mantle of our future.

Inpatient Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception and Sterilization in the United States, 2008-2013.

OBJECTIVE: To measure rates of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), including intrauterine devices and contraceptive implants, and tubal sterilization during delivery hospitalizations and correlates of their use. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the 2008-2013 National Inpatient Sample, a publicly available all-payer database. We identified delivery hospitalizations with the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes for intrauterine device insertion, contraceptive implant insertion, and tubal sterilization. We used weighted multivariable logistic regression to examine associations between predictors (age, delivery mode, medical comorbidity, payer, hospital type, geographic region, and year) and likelihood of LARC and sterilization and to compare characteristics of LARC and sterilization users. RESULTS: Our sample included 4,691,683 discharges, representing 22,667,204 delivery hospitalizations. Long-acting reversible contraception insertion increased from 1.86 per 10,000 deliveries (2008-2009) to 13.5 per 10,000 deliveries (2012-2013; P<.001); tubal sterilization remained stable (711-683 per 10,000 deliveries; P=.24). In multivariable analysis adjusting for all predictors, compared with neither LARC nor sterilization, LARC use was highest among women with medical comorbidities (count per 10,000 deliveries: 15.04, standard error 2.11, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.72-2.13), nonprivate payer (13.50, standard error 2.14, adjusted OR 5.23, 95% CI 3.82-7.16), and at urban teaching hospitals (14.92, standard error 2.25, adjusted OR 20.85, 95% CI 12.73-34.15). Sterilization was least likely among women aged 24 years or younger (251.04, standard error 4.88, adjusted OR 0.12 95% CI 0.12-0.13, compared with 35 years or older) and most likely with cesarean delivery (1,568.74, standard error 20.81, adjusted OR 6.25, 95% CI 5.88-6.63). Comparing only LARC and sterilization users, LARC users tended to have nonprivate insurance (84.95% compared with 57.17%, adjusted OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.38-2.63) and deliver at urban teaching hospitals (94.65% compared with 45.47%, adjusted OR 38.39, 23.52-62.64) in later study years (2012-2013; 55.72% compared with 32.18%, adjusted OR 8.26, 95% CI 4.42-15.44, compared with 2008-2009). CONCLUSION: Long-acting reversible contraception insertion increased from 1.86 to 13.5 per 10,000 deliveries but remained less than 2% of the sterilization rate. Inpatient postpartum LARC insertion is more likely among sicker, poorer women delivering at urban teaching hospitals.